Science with Impact: How to Engage People, Change Practice, and Influence Policy

Paperback

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Price:
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ISBN:
Published:
Dec 3, 2024
2024
Pages:
296
Size:
6 x 9 in.

Will you please just listen to me? If you are a scientist, or a fan of science, have you ever wondered why your fact-based explanation of ground-breaking scientific research falls flat with family, friends, and the general public? Do you want your research to matter to society and not simply be confined to arcane discussion in academic circles? Social science communicator Anne Helen Toomey argues that science today faces a public-relations crisis due to its historic emphasis on 鈥渢rickle-down research,鈥 and she calls for a whole-scale change in how scientists engage with the world. This book is a guide for the scientific community and its allies to build public trust in science鈥攁nd scientists鈥攁gain.

In this accessible volume, Toomey unpacks why 鈥渇acts鈥 mean different things to different people and how science-based attitudes and behaviors spread. Using humor, stories, and down-to-earth examples from her own science journey, she explains why seemingly straightforward evidence can sometimes feel irrelevant, or even threatening, to a skeptical public. This practical, how-to guide will help scientists think more carefully about the choices they make even before collecting data. It explores how researchers and others who work with science can address public distrust, communicate about uncertainty, and engage with policymakers for real-world impact.

Science with Impact argues that science can鈥攁nd should鈥攎ake a meaningful difference in society. It offers hope and guidance to those of us who wish to take the steps to make it so.